Reports indicate the leader is finalizing preparations for an attack in Laghman's Alingar district, officials said. The man is known to support both Taliban and Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin networks, and has been involved in attacks against the Afghan army, they said.

The force saw the insurgents holding rocket-propelled grenade launchers and small-arms weapons while hiding in a nearby tree line.

In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

-- A combined force killed an insurgent and captured a Taliban leader and his assistant during a security operation in Kandahar province's Zharay district. The leader conducted roadside-bomb and direct-fire attacks against Afghan forces, and his assistant is believed responsible for attack planning and moving materials inside the district. Other suspected insurgents were detained.

-- In Helmand province's Marjah district, a combined security force detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Taliban leader responsible for coordinating attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force captured a Taliban organizer during an intelligence-driven security operation in Laghman province's Mehtar Lam district. The leader supported insurgents through surveillance of possible targets and by distributing weapons, ammunition and supplies to area leaders.

-- A combined force in Paktika province's Dilah wa Khoshamand district captured a Haqqani terrorist network leader and several of his associates. The leader directed attacks against security forces.

-- During a search in Khost province's Sabari district, a security force detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Haqqani organizer responsible for planning attacks against security forces in the district.